The late autumn sunshine shines coldly on the gardens surrounding Park House, in Stillorgan, Dublin, reflecting off the Victorian glass houses, the scarce red apples still clinging to the espaliered fruit trees and the white walls of the old stables.
One of the less well-known stately homes in Dublin, Park House, built in 1880, is now bustling with activity, as it provides 75 disabled students with further education.
The gardens, which include a small, well-designed garden centre open to the public, are used by the horticulture students pursuing a Teagasc certified course while the house and former stables provide training facilities for students pursuing CERT accommodation courses, an art link programme (NCVA level 2) and a care assistant course (City and Guilds).
Christine Flynn, manager of Park House training and education centre, explains that the centre was originally set up by the Polio Fellowship of Ireland in 1963. In time, the Polio Fellowship amalgamated with the Rehabilitation Institute and the centre is now associated with the National Training and Development Institute, the training wing of the Rehab group.
Many of the students commute long distances to come to Park House . . . from as far afield as Kildare, Portlaoise and Mulhuddart. Twenty students stay in Park House. "There is a huge determination for people to get here," says Flynn. The students are a mixed group - male and female with mixed academic abilities and mixed disabilities. Some have been disabled from birth, other have acquired a disability later in life.
"These students may have had a lot of negative messages in terms of their careers. We try and keep doors open," says Flynn. Prospective students are invited to open days and they also sample various programmes before deciding on a course. "We must also be realistic - it's really about looking at their abilities and building on their strengths."
There is a three-month introductory period. Students' needs are looked at in a holistic way and they are provided with supports that they might not get in mainstream education.
David McGann has spent almost two years commuting to Park House. He gets out of bed at 5.30 a.m. each week day and gets a train to Dublin from Kildare. He was involved with a day centre in Kildare for the past 16 years and wanted to get a formal qualification. The care assistant qualification fitted the bill and he hopes all the commuting will pay off when it comes to getting a job.
Fellow student Lisa Maguire was a nurse aide in Australia for nine years. She's glad to be back home. "It's the best thing I've done. I love it. We're pretty lucky to have Jackie and Helen (two of the course staff). In Australia I was not taught how to lift properly. This is a great opportunity for people who want to go into care. There are loads of jobs out there for carers."
Gareth and Paul have just started the course. They have completed the lifting and cooking modules. "I'm enjoying being here . . . you learn a lot of subjects, it never stops," says Gareth. Judy lives in the hostel and loves Dublin but will probably return to Cork when she has completed the care course.
The course instructor, Jackie Neary, explains that the programme is self-paced and can take up to two years. The course includes work experience is settings as diverse as long-stay hospitals, day-care centres and nursing homes. There is no written exam but students are continuously assessed and they must complete three projects.
Subjects include manual and client lifting, first aid, basic cooking and yoga. Students are introduced to alternative care so that they will understand what specialists like aromatherapists and reflexologists offer their clients. The work experience helps students decide which area they would like to specialise in. Neary notices more men applying for the care course and she says there is a huge demand for carers.
